h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Yes I actually just cama across a photo of Liv & Battisa with a couple trays of her baking. Liv -Ms Vors-writes food/restaurant reviews for Vue magazine. Her baking will be available at Battistå's. Good to know that I can now pick up cookies and/or biscotti, as well as a calzone.

But, photo and a factoid time...the photo being of the Naramata Nut Brown Ale.

http://www.mynaramata.co[Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator]m/show43b/Cannery_Brewing_Company

The factoid being that they are indeed located in...an old Aylmer fruit cannery.

I did indeed sample some of her baking and it was Good.




BBC is having a problem with that link.

Yes that's what I get for not previewing!

http://www.mynaramata.com/show43b/Cannery_Brewing_Company aHa, nice photo btw

Twenty fourin' hundred!! Just a Very uninformed 'guesstimate', I'd say between 1500 and 1800(likely closer tp 1500, but possibly about 1650-60...or higher).

http://40beersat40.blogspot.com

Actually I noticed some shared appreciation for the Mikkeller-also referred to as a-Rauchmeal (in a brief transatlantic podcast, no less), previous entry.

Although, having 'slept on it'(subconscious consideration overnight)2150-roughly-is not a figure that strains credulity. At least I don't think so.

That would be something like a brand of beer for every 5000 or so Belgians. Certainly not incredible.

I picked up a (big) bottle of Alley Kat's White Tail Hefeweizen today and I'm about to open it. Have we done it before? Or is it new?

I reviewed it awhile back, it's the latest in their Big Bottle series.

A rather resounding success in the 'cooking with beer' category(if I do say so myself)! Probably inspired by both Edgar's wonderfully fresh pulled pork torta-the Negra Modelo may've played a part-and the numerous mouth-watering creations I'm readiing about. Lunch yesterday was said torta e cervesa('sandwich and beer')at a recently opened cozy Taqueria in Rice-Howard Way.

http://trescarnales.com

Then after reading about various recipes using stouts, porters, brown ales, etc a flash of inspiration struck me. So supper today was a chipotle smoky sausage with malty Dark Force orzo, pinto beans and red bell pepper...sumptuosuly malty! For the initial 'malting' I used a couple ounces of that Malta Polar in the water as I cooked the orzo. Then later I finished everything with a light sprinkling of cumin & 4 or 5 judiciously applied dribbles of the HaandBrygeriet Dark Force. Covered & simmered on a low heat.

The combination of the Malta Polar & that bit of stout turned the orzo a rich chocolate brown. And that sprinkling of cumin added a deep rich almost nutty flavour. It was as though the various malts(malted corn, wheat & barley in the stout)were old friends meeting at the airport - my friend, good to see you...how was your flight? ect hearty hugs and all that. And as I had suspected, the stout was perfect with the sausage. And a pleasant addition were the casava/manioc chips I picked up at Tienda Latina Monday.On a whim I decided to open the bag - a fortuitous whim indeed. The salty quality of the chips added another dimension, the saltiness was great with the orzo, wonderful with the sausage & more than decent with the stout(nice counterpoint really)

After some palate-cleansing,the last bit of stout-in a clean tulip glass-was also a wonderful pairing with a German Ritter-Sport dark chocolate with-16% almonds- marzipan bar. The Dark Force bringing out a fleeting almost syrupy sweetness I'd never experienced in the Ritter-Sport marzipan.

I'd heard rumours of Tres Carnales. As I make a delivery to Sherlock Holmes in Rice Howard Way most Wednesdays, I may have to quickly slip over some time.

I was one of the two customers waiting for them to open Wed.. My torta was out to me quite quickly(impressive) & before I was 2/3rds through it the little place seemed to be filling up. I was almost able to time/predict Chris' calls of "order up!" Oh, torta & beer-Pacifico, Corona or the Modelo, $17.25 or thereabouts(which isn't Too bad). Small side of beans & one of extra guacamole...diced tomato & a bit of guacamole in the bun.

http://weirdwildandwonderful.blogspot.com

A review plus photos, a link to another review with more photos And a link to her CBC(radio) capsule review.

let me say upfront, a wheat ale brewed with huckleberries...

Fernie Brewing Co. What the Huck 650ml. 5%abv

The pour

Pours a cloudy orangey-copper with a very slight purplish tinge. Very moderate carbonation evident. Barely a finger of rapidly diminishing foamy head...nice lacing.

Aroma

Wheaty/grainy...hint of malt & berry fruitiness.

Taste

Clearly a wheat ale(which isn't a bad thing), with a fairly distinct-dark fruitish-berry note...bit of yeastiness leading to a dry finish. Might benefit from a touch more carbonation imho.

Very nice with Capriny goat cheese on wheat crackers. Subtle accenting of the creaminess of the cheese & to a lesser extent, the berry component of the ale. The berry though is initially subdued by a Purdy's White Silk(a wonderfully creamy white chocolate). A lingering sweet berry aftertaste comes through quite clearly though. I detect an ever-so-slight anise-like edge with the Purdy's White Cameo(cameo brooch design/appearance), white chocolate with a brandy-flavoured truffle center

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Mount Begbie Brewing Nasty Habit IPA 650ml, 6%abv

The pour

Pours a transparent orangey-copper with a gradually diminishing two finger sudsy off-white head...swirling creates a bit of lacing.

Aroma

Piney hops...some roasty malt.

Taste

First impression(and a momentary one at that)is malty, then a controlled/subtle hop flavour washes in like a wave breaking on the beach...(lighter medium mouthfeel), I detect a yeasty undertone developing, then a bit of an earthy quality before a rather neutral finish

- I must admit, the last bit of this bottle was promptly used as a marinade for chicken to be used in a planned Green Thai Curry.

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Alley Kat/Sherbrooke Liquor Store Neapoleon(Neapolitan)Stout 341ml, 6.7%abv
"From the sublime to the ridiculous is but a step" Napoleon Bonaparte

The pour

Pours wonderfully stoutish in appearance - two finger(chocolate ice cream coloured)head with little retention. Opaque darkest brown brew...nice lacing.

Aroma

Primarily chocolate, vanilla & malt.

Taste

Hmm Alley Kat chocolate stout, no question about that. Malty chocolate...vanilla notes...tiny bit of strawberry creeps in just before a drier finish. Boost that berry, I say! Dried raspberries in the Denman Island Razzle Dazzle bar nicely accented, an overall juiciness at least subliminally apparent.

Wellington County Brewery Trailhead Vienna Lager 473 ml can, 4.5%abv
(First of 4 cans purchased as Wellington's Silver Selection, commemorating their 25th anniversary. http://www.wellingtonbrewery.ca )

The pour

Lovely clear gold with a burst of carbonation that tapers off. Finger of tight white head - nice lacing.

Aroma

Well-integrated malt & hops..more hops on second whiff.

Taste

Pleasant malty yeastiness, then the hops (Saaz I believe)assert themselves without dominating. A nice balance...lighter-medium bodied, clean dry finish. Superb with leftover-and just slightly respiced-Dark Force orzo & sausage. The maltiness is much more subdued, the lager shedding new light on the meal. The addition of a pinch of mustard seed powder, when provoked by the hops gives forth a bit of a woody mushroom/vegetal note. Wonderfully heat-quenching yet spice accentuating with the sausage & a splash of Nando's garlic hot sauce. I see from the ingredients that Nãndo's is a blend of serrano, cayenne & peri-peri peppers.

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Wellington County Brewery S.P.A.(Special Pale ) 473 ml, 4.5%abv

The pour

Pours a clear darker gold with a burst of carbonation(that tapers off but never totally dies). Two finger tight, rapidly diminishing white head. Only slight lacing.

Aroma

Hmm, quite clean...faintly grainy...hints of malt & hops.

Taste

Mmm subtley special indeed! At least imho, I'm developing much more of a taste or appreciation for various beer styles. Initially very clean and malty, just a bit of sweetness detectable. Then the hops saunter in unobtrusively. Very well-balanced, lighter bodied, smooth semi-dry finish. I'll be buying more of these!

Subtle understated harmony with Thai green curry-including the Nasty Habit-marinated chicken.That's 'subtle understated' as in two old friends on a park bench reading, maybe passing a flask back'n'forth...that kinda thing. Enhances the creaminess of the goat cheese on wasa rye.

p/c

Holds it's own I think against the last bit of the Roaring Forties Blue on wasa. The cheese doesn't overwhelm it.

Just sose you know . . .


A fairly major salvage/renovation project has just begun on my home: while I'll likely be 'sampling' beer as much as or more than ever over the next little while, I probably won't be stopping to make notes.

A certain well known HOUSE building COMPANY in the area built this place as a show home almost twenty years ago and a certain part of it was sheathed with corrugated steel with no sealant in the joints and no house wrap -- not even tar paper -- between the steel and the chipboard sheathing within. Now, a finger can be gently pushed through the rotten exterior sheathing (the steel hid well what it didn't protect).

And, no proper or adequate foundation was built for that part of the house this certain HOUSE COMPANY built.

The entire section is to be demolished and rebuilt properly.

I'm glad I expected (and budgeted for) the worst because I wasn't disappointed.

åh yes, expect the best but prepare for the worst. So I'll pretty much be holding the fort by myself...*glances around*or 'by myself', so to speak.

Unfortunately that Doesn't mean more for me... But, I shall continue to valiantly sip on...& evaluate what it is I sip.

I prefer to prepare for the worst and expect the worst.

I just salvaged a window opening mechanism from a window which is part of the to be demolished area, intending to use it to replace a non-functioning mechanism in another part of the house. . .


one's left-handed and the other is right.


I have a bottle of Dogfish Head Squall IPA downstairs. I was saving it for a special occasion, but, Sunday, July 17th is starting to look special enough.

Oh in regard to 'what I sip', a commemorative brew coming up-later today. Taking it's name from a character in a Robert Service poem. Commemorating Athabasca's centennial, btw(from Alley Kat).

from Sherbrooke?